JONESBORO, Ark. — A rape charge against Cetrick Deshawn Crockett has been dropped after prosecutors determined that credibility concerns prevented them from reasonably proceeding to trial.
An order filed Sept. 30 in Craighead County Circuit Court granted the state’s motion for nolle prosequi in case 16JCR-26-13.
“The State has determined based on the facts and evidence currently available, credibility concerns prevent the State from reasonably proceeding to trial,” the order states.
The order attributes those concerns to actions by relatives of the alleged victim. It does not describe those actions or provide further details about the credibility concerns.
The order was prepared by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Katherine E. Calaway and signed by a circuit judge.
Original Allegations
Crockett, a Jonesboro resident who was 38 when the original story was published, was arrested for rape following a police investigation into allegations involving a teenager.
According to a probable-cause affidavit, Jonesboro officers responded Oct. 11 to a residence on Greenbrier Road after receiving a report of sexual assault. The alleged victim told investigators that the conduct occurred when they had previously lived with Crockett. At the time, the alleged victim was 14.
During a forensic interview, the alleged victim told authorities that Crockett would enter their room and sexually assault them while they supposedly were asleep.
Police interviewed Crockett and reported that he became very emotional and repeatedly changed his account of the events surrounding the allegations. According to the affidavit, he allegedly admitted to touching the child’s private area and stated that he would never do it again.
Crockett was arrested for rape, a Class Y felony punishable by 10 to 40 years or life in prison. That charge has since been dropped.
At Crockett’s bail hearing, Judge David Boling noted that Crockett was on a suspended sentence and had previously been convicted of two counts of third-degree domestic battery and one count of second-degree domestic battery. The court also cited a prior violation of a no-contact order.
Boling set Crockett’s bond at $500,000 cash or surety and ordered GPS monitoring if he was released.
At the time of the original report, Crockett’s next court date was scheduled for Jan. 23. The subsequent Sept. 30 order granted the state’s request to drop the charge.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect the dismissal of the charge. The original allegations and bail-hearing details are retained above as background and are not findings of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Details, including the probable-cause affidavit itself, have been withheld to protect the alleged victim’s identity.
The Arkansas Child Abuse Hotline may be reached by calling 1-800-482-5964.
The National Sexual Assault Hotline is confidential and available 24/7 at 800-656-4673. Online crisis support is available at hotline.rainn.org/online.
More resources and information about RAINN are available here.
The Family Crisis Center Inc. is a local resource available to help those in need.
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